January 29, 2017 – Today’s 2017 Prix d’Amerique program was a great display of top fight harness racing and festivities for the enthusiastic crowd.
Canadien d’Em (5m Ready Cash-Kanadia) started today’s racing action with victory in the Gr. II Prix Harley Davidson/Camille Blaiset (monte, purse €120,000, 2850 meters, 10 starters). Mathieu Mottier teamed the Franck Leblanc trainee for Laurent Edin. The 1.14.1kr timed winner bested Cypien des Bordes in rein to J,.L.Cl. Dersoir for the legend Joel Hallais and Ecurie Rib. Third was Celina Polka with Alexandre Abrivard up for owner/trainer Joel VanEeckhaute.
The Prix de Montreal/Le Parisien(purse €70,000, 2100 meters autostart, 15 European starters) was next up and it went to 1.11.3kr quick clocked 2/1 Calin de Morge (5g Ozio Royal-Paradise Princess). Matthieu Abrivard was the pilot for David Haon, trainer for Ecurie HD Trot. 22/1 Tesauro (5g Filipp Roc-Iniziale) rallied for second, driven by Pietro Gubellini for trainer Christian Rizzo and Scuderia RB Team Srl. 13/1 Clever Lymm (5m Korean-Oquidia) was third for Anthony Barrier, Ecurie Le Tremont and trainer Philippe Billard. Fractions were 1.07.4kr at 1500 meters remaining; 1.09.4kr at the 1000 mark and 1.11kr with 500 to go.
The Gr. II Prix RMC/Jacques Andrieu (monte, purse €120,000, 2850 meters distance handicap, 11 starters) went to 1.13.4kr timed Arlington Dream (7g Ready Cash-Ialla Clairchamps) at 4.8/1 for jockey Yoann Lebourgeois. Philippe Allaire is the trainer for Frederic Sauque, the owner of this now €332,800 career winner. The often unpredictable Arlington Dream was on a loose lead throughout and weakened in the lane albeit still posting an easy victory (fractions 1.12.6kr with 1500 remaining; 1.11.4kr at the 1000 and 1.12.3kr at 500 to go). The 25 meter penalized Texas de l’Iton (10g Cygnus d’Odyssee-Iliada de l’Iton) was second at 4.9/1 with Mathieu Mottier up for trainer Hughes Levesque and third was Italy’s Nene’ Degli Ulivi (10g Uconn Roc-Maureen Lobell) for jockey Eric Raffin.
Draft Life (4f Ubriaco-Maflymede) took the Gr. II Prix Lalique/Charles Tiercelin (purse €120,000, 2100 meters, 13 four year-old starters) timed in 1.12.1kr for Eric Raffin. The 1.9/1 second wagering choice is trained/owned/bred by Louis Baudron. 1.3/1 favorite Django Riff (4m Ready Cash-Rasta Perrine) was second for Yoann Lebourgeois, trainer Philippe Allaire and owner/breeder Elisabth Allaire. 22/1 Dahlia du Rib (4m Oyonnax-Passiflore du Rib) rallied for third teamed by J.L.Cl. Dersoir and trained by Joel Hallais for owner Ecurie Rib. The winner stormed home after the modest time of 1.12.7kr with 500 meters remaining.
Cash Gamble (6m Ready Cash-No Way Back) took the Gr. III Prix Jean Rene Gougeon/Maison Coilieres (purse €105,000, 2100 meters, 11 starters) clocked in 1.11.8kr with J-M Bazire driving for Philippe Billard training for Stall TJ Gamble. This 1.8/1 favorite defeated 11/1 Apollon de Kacy (7m Prince Gede-Nefertiti Kids) driven today by Franck Niavrd for owner/trainer Jorgen Westholm. Third was 22/1 Blues d’Ourville (6g Password-Pursuit of Charm) reined by Gabriel Gelormini.
The Gr. III Prix Helen Johansson/Lenotre (purse €105,000, 2100 meters, 18 starters) provided the landscape for a Dubois victory as 7.9/1 Vacate Money (8f Prodigious-Making Money) scored in 1.11.9kr for Jean-Philippe Dubois and his Ecurie Victoria Dreams, The Philippe Moulin trainee was rated beautifully by Dubois and held steady to the line, defeating 56/1 Super Ariel (8f Super Arnie-Orika Lep) with Matthieu Abrivard up. 105/1 El Catwalk (6f Classic Photo-El Mistress Leena) and Franck Nivard was third.
The Gr. III Prix Association La Chaine de l’Espoir (purse €80,000, 2100 meters, 13 starters) saw 1.2/1 favorite Eros de Chene (3m Un Amour d’Haufor-Oulanova) score in a well-rated 1.16.7kr in this event for lightly raced three year-olds. Franck Nivard reined the winner, owned and bred by Clause Guedy. 38/1 Elsa du Pommereux (3f Coktail Jet-Saba du Pommereux) with Mathieu Mottier up was second for breeder/owner Noel Lolic, and 4.8/1 Estella Love (3f Love You-Shucca) was a good third for Franck Ouvrie, owner Jean Pierre Dubois and Yves Boireau, trainer. Ecurie Dream With Me bred this one.
The Prix de Meadowlands (purse €50,000, 2850 meters, 14 European four year olds) was a competitive event with 10.8/1 Una Bella Gar (5f SJ’s Photo-Georgette Gar) rallying for the 1.14.9kr victory with Antonio Greppi up. The Mme. D.R. Cortina owned mare is trained by Lorenzo Colletti. 7/2 Ursel Gio (4f Love You-May Glide Font SM) was second for trainer/driver Bjorn Goop and owner R.F. Nooteboom. 14/1 Unique Dream Bar (4f Goetmals Wood-Genial Power) took third for Santo Mollo and Scuderia Guida Edoardo. Tom Charters of the Hambletonian Society and his team (Moira Fanning and Jay Farrar) presented the trophy and spoke about The Meadowlands, host of the three year old US trotting classic, the Hambletonian Stake.
The program ending Prix Tidalium Pelo (monte apprentice jockeys, purse €62,000, 2850 meters, 15 starters) went to placed winner by dq awarded to 30.5/1 Vicomte d’Havane (8g Invar-Mandoline de Ry) with Pierre Sorais in the irons for trainer Bruno Marie and Ecurie BKM. First home but dq’d was 8/1 Uhendo Rivelliere. Placed second was 9.3/1 Uno de Guinette (9g Kaiser Soze-Isis de Guinette with Mlle. Noeme Hardy aboard and placed third was 56/1 Visa de la Noemie (8m Cygnes d’Odyssee-Bea de la Noemie) with Florent Guerineau up. Race time was 1.14.3kr.
The Amerique Day at Vincennes was quite spectacular, as always, professionally presented and well received by the huge crowd. Next up in two week increments are the Prix de France, Prix de Paris and then the Cagnes sur Mer Grand Criterium de Vitesse.
Thomas H. Hicks